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Russian World Cup lobbyist gave painting to Fifa chief

Despite a rule against accepting gifts, an excutive committee member for Belgium accepted a painting from a Russia 2018 adviser

Claire Newell, Jonathan Calvert, Cecile Schoon and Mark Franchetti

August 14 2011, 1:01am, The Sunday Times

Michel D'Hooghe has said that he regrets accepting the 'poisonous' gift (Ed Oudenaarden)

The Russian World Cup bid team gave a painting to a Fifa boss during negotiations to secure his support for the 2018 event.

Since Russia’s victory over England to host the tournament, rumours of expensive works of art being given to members of Fifa’s 24-man committee have circulated but until now no evidence has emerged to verify these claims.

However, last week Michel D’Hooghe, the executive committee member of football’s world governing body for Belgium, admitted that eight months before the vote, Viacheslav Koloskov, a strategic adviser for Russia 2018, came to his home town of Bruges and gave him a painting after lobbying him about the bid.

Fifa rules say officials “are not permitted to accept gifts and other benefits that exceed the average…